"There's no Taj Mahal" in this $160 million draft budget for Dubbo City Council but the organisation reports road construction and reconstruction will reach record levels in the new financial year.
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In an estimated total of $6.17 million of capital expenditure on the urban road network, among the list of big-ticket items is the $1.9 million stage one Boundary Road extension, technical services director Stewart McLeod said in a report to the council.
Together with the $2.3 million second stage of works, currently scheduled for 2018-19, the project would link motorists through to Sheraton Road.
It was one of the projects highlighted by Dubbo mayor Mathew Dickerson on Monday after the council voted to put the draft operational plan and budget for 2016-17 on public exhibition.
"I don't see it as a budget where we've got lots of shiny bells, I don't see it as things that's got significant pieces of infrastructure, like our theatre that we built five years ago, there's no Taj Mahal in this budget," he said.
"What it is, is probably a fairly steady as you go, sustainable budget, we have got that... amalgamation hanging over our head, so it is hard.
"If an amalgamation does go ahead, which obviously I'm still hopeful it doesn't, then this budget, you almost forget about the budget and start designing a new budget.
"But you've still got some things in there that I think are significant.
"Boundary Road is one thing people have talked about for a number of years and Boundary Road basically will be started this (coming) financial year, an extension through to Sheraton Road."
Cr Dickerson said there was currently some congestion "around the intersection of the highway and Sheraton Road when you've got a busy school particularly in the mornings".
"By opening up Boundary Road through to Sheraton Road what that will mean is you will take that congestion away, in particular with the schools, but also you've got obviously other businesses, Blueridge and Bunnings up there, so it's becoming a busier area and we always knew one day we'd have to open it up but it's an expensive project," he said.
The council will fund the project initially but "the plan is that the voluntary planning agreement we have with Alkane in relation to the Toongi mine, that money, which is not guaranteed yet because the mine hasn't started. . ." could be used for the Boundary Road project, the mayor reported.
